My previous post was on staying healthy. But even the most careful of us succumb to that winter cold from time to time. Here’s what we do to recover fast.
1. Rest! You knew I was gonna say this right? When my kids or husband show signs of illness, I send them to bed for naps or early bedtime. Sometimes, we avoid illness completely with a few extra zzzzzzzzz’s. This is not a time for a ten mile run!
2. Moisturize. As in, sinuses and lungs. I make my kids take 2 (short) steamy showers a day when they’re congested before putting them back into bed. We shut the door and steam up the room. Then, I encourage them to breathe deeply and get that steam into their nasal passages and lungs. A cold mist humidifier is another great tool once they’re back in bed. And for mom or dad, a warm washcloth on a congested head or cheek sometimes works wonders. I don’t recommend it for kids.
3. Saline. Neti pots or even sprays like Simply Saline (no preservatives) are great solutions to both moisten the nasal passages and kill bacteria that leads to more serious problems like sinus or ear infections.
4. Extra fluids. Extra fluids are imperative when the body is fighting off illness. I push liquids like a drug kingpin when my family is sick. And, while I encourage water, sick days are a time I like to boost my family’s liquids with extra nutrients. Here are a few favorites:
- Lemonade – Lemons contain Vitamin C and won’t create extra congestion like orange juice will. Simple squeeze a fresh lemon into 2 cups of water (more or less to taste) and add some raw honey or maple syrup. I’m not talking about Aunt Jemima’s corn syrup stuff, people!!! Use real maple syrup.
- Cherry Cough Stop Tea – If you want to get fancy about your drinks, this is a great one! I posted it previously after compiling from several similar recipes.
5. Echinacea tincture. Available at local health food stores – tinctures are simply the properties of herbs extracted into a liquid medium like glycerin, vinegar or alcohol. We only use a few drops of the tincture at a time and drink at regular intervals till we see improvement.
6. Vicks. Yep. It’s an old remedy but it works. Our kids have very sensitive skin so we use it on the bottoms of their feet and cover with old socks rather than rubbing it on their chests. It still works! I know purists won’t like that it contains petroleum jelly but for mainstream parents it’s more natural than a lot of other options.
7. Eucalyptus essential oil. Place a few drops (seriously, not more – it’s strong!) in a humidifier or even on an old rag near the bed for surprisingly powerful lung and nasal passage opening action! If the eucalyptus is too strong, adding a few drops of lavender will balance out the scent.
DO NOT leave Essential oils ANYWHERE that a child can access them. Essential oils are the most concentrated and therefore, most dangerous version of herbs. Treat them like the powerful medicines they are and don’t leave them anywhere your kids can reach them!
8. Avoid over the counter medications like cough syrup and decongestants. We haven’t ever used these with our kids. These medications often contain dyes or ingredients we don’t want our kids to ingest. They also mask the symptoms of illness and create a false sense of “health” that encourages the user to keep working instead of resting and kicking the sick bug. Result? Longer illness cycle. Just GO TO BED!
9. Elevate! This one is from my mom. When we had coughs as kids, she’d have us sleep a little more upright – with pillows or lifting the mattress a bit. It works!
Can’t imagine life without your cough medicine? Do an experiment. PUT DOWN the cough medicine and use old fashioned common sense instead. It might take your body a few cycles of illness to figure out what to do but you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel after a while! Plus, think of the money you’ll save not buying that stuff!
You’ve heard me say it before and you know I’ll say it forever. The best remedies to get healthy and stay healthy are rest and nourishment! Don’t look for ways to mask your symptoms. Symptoms are your body’s way of telling you what is wrong and what you need to do to get better. Some of these tips seem so very elementary and non-magical but when we follow them at our house as soon as we feel sickness coming on, it’s only at our house for a day or two versus dragging on for weeks. Sometimes the simplest remedies are truly the best.
Give it a try and be well!
*As always, I’ll remind you that I am not a doctor. These are common sense remedies I use for my family, especially because they support the immune system rather than simply masking the symptoms of illness. I have taken the time to research any herbal recipes carefully myself and have consulted with my local herbalist and doctor. I encourage you to always do the same before choosing to take or administer any kind of remedy, whether herbal, prescription or off the shelf at a local drugstore.**